Cycle

Tension. The silence was so loud. Lore and Char had many words they wished to exchange with one another but the nature of their current situation said them all at once and then some. Lore and The Hologram phased through the ship’s hull and watched as it rattled off into the distance. They were travelling relatively slowly.
“They had decided that enough was enough. If Crait wanted to play with them, they would play.” The Hologram seemed more emotive. “So, by themselves, Lore and Char headed to the remains of Quatarr to enact their plan.”
Their reality snapped back to the ship. Lore tapped away at their console. “I think I’ve bought us a few minutes there.” They sighed. “But I doubt its going to help too much.”
“Has it made this any less suicidal?” Char tried to hide her nerves.
“If I’m right, there’s no risk.” Lore crossed their fingers behind their back.

They held position just outside of Quatarr’s solar system. Despite being a light minute away, the devastation could be seen and felt; a new field of asteroids was their first reminder of the travesty they were there to undo. Char closed her eyes and bowed her head. She muttered something under her breath before continuing. Protectorate mining drones that once cleaned the belts floated extinct and unused in the vacuum. They drew in closer, wreaks of Quatarrian and Protectorate vessels, long disabled, found their hulls haunted, cursed by the gravitational forces to wander the system to their eventual and final demise when the central star finally consumed them. Quatarr itself finally came into view. The planet had been torn open, its insides pilfered and sifted; a rocky pomegranate of innumerable scale. A second and seemingly third debris field separated Lore and Char from their goal; detecting them, the third field moved into position.
“We were expecting a fight, to have to rip and claw our way to the finish line but they just moved…” The Hologram gestured to the parting sea of ships. “Time awaits us.”

Their ship came down on what had once been the field outside of Tarquu. The once perfect trenches, pock marked and destroyed. The Hologram set Lore down beside themselves. Lore walked from their ship to a nearby hill, Char followed. A single, unbroken well ran from the surface to what had been the core of the planet; Lore knelt beside it.
“This is where it all started for you.” A voice spoke. It had no direction to it nor form that either Lore could see. They turned around to see Char, frozen in her walk towards them. Lore thought the memory had been paused but they watched themselves move. “You made a wager with the fabric of time and the fabric of this planet. You could have destroyed everything but our rules wouldn’t let you.” A figure appeared. Shimmering white, made of pure light, it came and sat on the hillside opposite Lore. “You angered my sibling and you’ll anger them again before your time is through but you will, today, set in motion the events that lead to the security of the universe so I must ask you: Do you have the strength to do what is needed?” Its light faded slightly revealing an androgynous individual; still bathed in the white glow.

“I’m sorry, who are you? What are you?” Lore craned their neck trying to view it from another angle.
“You’ll find out, in due time. But pray answer my question. Do you have the strength to do what is needed?” It seemed to resent the fact that it had to repeat itself.
“I hope I do.” Lore replied. The words seemed to disappear to nothing as the being vanished. Time resumed and Char joined them by the well.
“This is where it all started, isn’t it?” She knelt and picked up a small piece of metal. “This was the anchor for the Three Year Month.” Lore nodded. She handed them the piece with a solemn look on her face.
“Thanks.” Lore whispered, their voice almost unintelligible as they returned the fragment of their old ship to it’s final resting place.

They walked. From the landing site to the ruins of Tarquu, it took them nearly an hour. They didn’t say a word to Char and she didn’t say a word to them. They had made this journey only once before and that time, they Breached; it just didn’t seem appropriate this time. There was a finality to the walk. Lore stopped Char as she set her hand on the capital’s outer gate.
“Do you trust me?” Lore took her hand into their own.
She recoiled at first, it was an unexpected gesture, but then she relaxed. “I do.”
“Stay close then. Whatever happens next.” Lore joined her as she pushed the giant gate ajar.
The walls had done their job. They were virtually intact, just worn from the orbital bombardment that destroyed nearly every other building and pathway in the city. Rubble piled around them, reaching nearly twenty metres in height and the only noise in the streets were the aeolian tones of the wind. Their footsteps interrupted the symphony of past destruction.
“You’ve finally made it.” Crait appeared from nowhere. “I would say I’ve been wondering when you’d get here but… Never mind, you’re here now.” They jumped from the rubble they had been sitting on. “So… What was the plan? Distract me with an uprising on Citrius? Mobilise your rebel group on Faendrosis? The Guild is much bigger now. You’re going to have to do better.” They scoffed.
“I suppose we are.” Lore shook their head. “Maybe next time…” They muttered.
“Two people… Against me… You never stood a chance… Though, I did let you get a few wins in. Can’t let you think I’m a monster in this fairy tale you’re telling.” Two ships lowered themselves through Quatarr’s atmosphere, landing just outside Tarquu. “You had a good run of it, but now, it’s time.” Crait lowered their head and averted their eyes.
“I think it is.” Lore held out their hand; Char took it. The white light blinded the first two soldiers through the gate. Again.